Deacon worked with Bishop McKnight in Wichita parish

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Bishop W. Shawn McKnight is becoming a widely recognized authority on the Permanent Diaconate.

But only one permanent deacon has actually had the experience of ministering with Bishop McKnight while he was pastor of a parish.

“He brought me out of hibernation and gave me pretty much a new life in my ministry, and I’ll be forever grateful to him for that,” said Deacon Jeff Jacobs.

Ordained for the Diocese of Santa Rosa, California, in 2001, Deacon Jacobs stayed busy in an array of diaconal ministries before accepting a job in Wichita in November of 2008.

The Wichita diocese does not have a formation program for permanent deacons, so there aren’t many deacons there.

Before accepting the job, Deacon Jacobs called Bishop Michael O. Jackels, who was head of the Wichita diocese at that time.

“I told him, ‘If I can’t serve as a deacon, I don’t want to move there,’” Deacon Jacobs said.

Bishop Jackels was happy to grant him faculties, but the priest who was pastor of his new parish in Wichita didn’t know what to do with him. They worked well together, but most of Deacon Jacobs’ diaconal ministries went dormant.

Father (now Bishop) McKnight was assigned to Church of the Magdalen parish in 2015. Having studied and written extensively about the permanent diaconate, he was excited about finally getting to minister with one in a parish setting.

They talked on the phone for about an hour before Fr. McKnight arrived. Deacon Jacobs asked the future bishop to send him everything he had written about the permanent diaconate.

He dove into Fr. McKnight’s doctoral thesis and a handful of articles and became convinced, “This guy is a genius.”

Their mutual respect grew as they worked together.

“He taught me a lot about the Diaconate,” said Deacon Jacobs. “Even though I had received good formation back in the Diocese of Santa Rosa, there were a lot of things I still didn’t know. And he told me, ‘I’ve learned from you as well.’”

Deacon Jacobs said Bishop McKnight is a great talent scout, adept at noticing needs that weren’t being met and identifying people with the right skills and training to meet those needs.

That’s what he did with Deacon Jacobs, and that’s what they did together in the parish.

Bishop McKnight encouraged the deacon to serve as a bridge between the priests and the people, helping parishioners find their calling and their place in the Church.

“He knew he could not be in connection with as many people as I could, because I live and work among the laity,” said Deacon Jacobs. “We worked together with the people on various committees and commissions until the people themselves were able to be more empowered. Then we were able to back off of some of those once the people felt empowered to do what needed to be done.”

Taking into account Deacon Jacobs’ professional experience of working with young people, as well as his home life consisting of a wife and seven children, Bishop McKnight tapped the deacon for marriage preparation and for helping revamp the parish’s sports program.

“I also started ministering to those couples that might be having things going on with their marriage,” said Deacon Jacobs. “I’ve been in a Christ-centered marriage for 36 years this August. We have kids. I’ve made some mistakes and learned from them. So it’s a blessing to be empowered in this way.”

Through mutual respect, the priest and deacon augmented each other’s ministry, helping Deacon Jacobs evolve into the deacon he has become.

“Our ministry is much more than the liturgical things we can do,” he said of permanent deacons. “We come from the people, we live with the people, and that’s where our great ministries take place.”

Deacon Jacobs is now head coach for the women’s varsity basketball team at Hesston College, about 30 miles north of Wichita.

Although affiliated with the Mennonite Church, the college has many Catholic students. Bishop Carl A. Kemme of Wichita asked Deacon Jacobs to help minister to the Catholics and help build unity among all Christians at the college.

“So I’m not just in the parish,” said Deacon Jacobs. “I have an active ministry that’s not just connected to Church of the Magdalen.”

He served for a while in prison ministry before refocusing on the dying and the bereaved. His wife sometimes calls him the “Deacon of Death.”

“She means that kindly,” he said. “She says I’m good at ministering to those nearing the end of life.”

His own father while dying of cancer, told him, “You are not just my son anymore. You are my deacon.”

“And I ministered to him right up through his passing,” said Deacon Jacobs.

He pointed out that while there are many ministries in the Church, and all are called to do and be whatever they can to help carry-out the mission of Christ, not everyone is called to be ordained to the Permanent Diaconate.

“Why God has empowered me to do any of this, I don’t know,” he said. “But I am truly grateful for my calling.”

Deacon Jacobs offered some advice to the permanent deacons, current and future, of the Jefferson City diocese: “Pay attention to your new bishop. If he gives you instruction or advice, take it. I’m not saying mull it over, I’m saying take it. The guy is brilliant and incredibly knowledgeable. And if he’s talking to you, he’s already devoted a lot of prayer and thought to it.

“And if anyone gets a chance to visit with him, just do it and be a sponge. I don’t care if you’ve been a deacon for 25 years, you’re going to learn something."

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